Looking Back
by folkloric
Summary: While traveling through the streets of Konoha, Temari reflects on the events that led her to met her love, Neji. (prequel to Security)


**Title**: Looking Back  
**Rating**: PG/PG-13  
**Pairings**: Neji/Temari  
**Warnings**: None at the moment  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own NARUTO in any way, shape or form. All characters, locations and general world of NARUTO belongs to those who have created and distributed it.  
**Summary**: While traveling through the streets of Konoha, Temari reflects on the events that led her to met her love, Neji. (prequel to Security)  
**Author's notes**: I decided to do a prequel to my other story Security, due to people asking and my own curiosity on how this will play out. I'm not sure there are even that many fics on this pairing much less one beyond a one shot or something. Also, dealing with generally Sunagakure, I just got a hold of Chapter 248 of the manga and I think I got it pretty accurate hopefully, I couldn't see the back of the place because...something happened there during the chapter Oo.  
Lastly, I believe every chapter will have a seperate song to it (this has probably done hundreds of times) but it makes more sense to me since it puts you in the mood of the current setting. Some might not have songs, just depends.  
The song for this chapter is 'Kioku' by See-Saw.

* * *

'Today is going to be just like yesterday…' Temari concluded.

A soft breeze blew as she opened the sliding door and leaned up against its wooden frame. Sitting down with her legs pulled to her chest, she stared out at the serenity of the courtyard. With her hair still damp from her trip to the public bath, she stood, holding the side of her shirt and went into the bedroom. Her gray chest armor was put into its place and her headband fastened so that it would worn how it was 'suppose to' on her head. After doing so, she closed the door and quietly walked down the slightly chilly hall of the Branch family manor. Weak shadows gently played across her body as she headed toward the entrance to gather her shoes before leaving. It was a weird fact, but it was true that she only came at night and left in the afternoon every time she came to visit her boyfriend. It was just the pattern she had become used to.

Neji was now a high-ranking jounin, close to gaining a promotion to an elite ANBU. She had heard talk that a senior ANBU was considering retirement and that Neji might get the job. There was a set number to all ANBU; the only way to reach the prestigious level was that one of the members had to step down from the position, either by death or retirement. It didn't matter how skilled you were, you just had to wait your turn. Quickly and quietly Temari slipped on the sandals, fitting them so they would be a little more comfortable seeing as they were a little damp. Just as she was about the leave, she began muttering under her breath and quickly went back to the bedroom to retrieve her _karakasa _and left the manor. Neji wasn't home nor would he be until dark, being at the level he was, he was in constant training for ANBU along with regular missions. She stopped for a moment when at the front gates of the large estate and looked back to where the Branch manor was, she was missing something else. Shaking her head, she turned and left, deciding she would return later for her precious fan.

Leaving the manor behind her, Temari ventured into the growing streets of Konoha. Having just passed midday, the sounds of the night before seemed to come back but this time louder and more chaotic. Walking through the crowd she mused about how different she must have looked with her hair down. Finally noticing she wasn't even wearing the mesh stockings she sighed in agitation and her stomach grumbled along with it. She hadn't had any nourishment since she had woken up later than usual. Looking around for her usual restaurant she walked around the small area until happening upon it, smiling she went inside and ordered what she wanted. As the cool air of the dining area kissed her skin, she quietly waited and began reminiscing.

Gaara was due to return from the mission he had accepted from the neighboring country today. Apparently a foolish S-class criminal had been going around claiming that he was the true carrier of Shukaku, when in fact he was only a very powerful genjutsu user. Having taken it as a personal offense, Gaara had gone off to silence the man, and with her gone from Sunagakure, Kankuro was temporarily in charge.  
"Ah, Temari-san, I haven't seen you in awhile."

Looking up from her thoughts, Temari saw that it was Shikamaru that had disturbed her peace. She blinked and waved a little to him and replied nicely to him. After a few exchanged pleasantries and a bit of small talk, the younger man had left to go find his own spot. She watched as he left her alone and sighed heavily, her eyes down-cast. Bringing her elbows onto the table and weaving her fingers together and rested her chin on them, She began to think about Shikamaru. He had been the first boy she had been interested in and it had been some time since she had actually seen him in person. The two had dated for some time but after some time they had broke it off. Temari had to worry about Sunagakure and Shikamaru had other problems. Though the break up was mutual, she felt a pang of hurt in her heart when she saw him just a few days later with Yamanaka Ino. She had later learned from gossip that the two had finally hooked up and that she had almost been in the way.

She had never even kissed the boy, but it all hurt just the same to think that she hadn't really been needed and with that, she had left Konoha for quite sometime almost hoping never to return. Her food was placed before her and she quietly thanked the waiter before beginning to eat. Funny…it seemed talking to Shikamaru had given her some new facts, Ino and him were engaged to be wed in a few days…she hadn't been even notified of it. And it seemed that Ino was also pregnant of all things.

_Men…_she quietly scoffed in her mind before fully appreciating her meal of kenshin soup. Soon she finished eating, she went to pay but apparently Shikamaru had put it on his bill. Shrugging she left the building and proceed to the hospital, one of the things had learned from Shikamaru was that Sakura had been injured severely in mission while transporting a few precious scrolls dealing with Akatsuki.

_Scroll delivering…_She rolled her eyes at the thought of a few mere scrolls nearly costing a kinoichi her life. Weird thing was…what had actually brought her and Neji to finally meet one another.

* * *

(Four years prior, entrance to Sunagakure)

He brought the hood of the cloak closer to his head, the harsh winds nearly causing the hood to blow away. Looking up ahead, he could see the natural barrier of Sunagakure just ahead of him. In reality, he really couldn't see it but with the help of Byakugan, he was able to point it out. He didn't miss the sentries that were hidden in the natural shelves of the ground formation around the canyon. He passed by a few scraggily cacti before getting stopped by a tall kinoichi.

"What business do you have with us, during a storm?" He barely heard her as he watched her lips even though she was shouting. Shaking his head, the woman had a look of annoyance on her face as she removed the large black object from her back. Flicking it open almost leisurely, Neji immediately saw her power some of her chakra into the fan and the harsh noise and sound died down considerably as she placed the fan by side them; effectively blocking out most of the flying sand and causing the harsh wind to lower its volume just a bit in its shadow. She repeated her question again.

"I have business with your Kazekage dealing with the upcoming Chuunin Exams, it concerns if you or the Mizukage will host it." He said, his voice sounded almost rough from yelling, which he didn't do often. The kinoichi nodded sharply and almost gave him no warning when she closed the fan and put it back onto her back. She motioned for him to follow her and looking around from any enemies that might appear, he followed. He was grateful when they entered the narrow parting in the natural barrier, and removed the hood. His raven hair fell from his shoulder and swung slightly and settled at his back. The narrow passage was about five or six feet across and he didn't know how high it went, it seemed to go up for at least a mile. This place just like his home had an ingenious location.

Konoha was in a gorge, with the infamous Hokage wall and was also covered by dense forest and plant life. It seemed Sunagakure was in the same type, approaching the mouth of the entrance, he felt the wind pick up slightly. He paused for a moment and looked downward. Sunagakure was built into a canyon it seemed and then to have the impressive wall…it was basically a huge hole in the barren desert. Instead of forests to protect it, it had driving heat and winds. It seemed the houses and businesses were carved out from the many large spires and pillars that dotted the canyon floor, cable lines zigzagging to and fro on some and just behind all this was what would have been the Tower of Konohagakure, instead it seemed the Kazekage and the council lived inside what could only be described as a palace that was carved out of the barrier wall.

Shaking his head, he followed the kinoichi as she led him to the Kazekage and Council using the fastest route. Looking up, his eyes widened and when seeing that today there was no sky but rushing golden grains of sand rushing about. The storm looked like it couldn't touch the city but it sure as hell as tried to block out of the blue sky. Shaking his head, he continued to follow until they finally reached the large building of the Kazekage. The kunoichi went and opened the door for Neji and promptly left when the raven-haired man entered. The door closed by itself and meddled into the wall, raising a brow at it, Neji inspected with his Byakugan and saw that no chakra was present it, as if it had always been a normal wall and not the front entrance.

"Leaf, come with me."

It seemed that the Sand trio's sensei was going to escort him through the palace to where Gaara was. Interesting. The once teacher was a subordinate of one of his former students. The hallways were wide and spacious for this part of the palace that Baki was leading him down; there were high archways with detailed and intricate designs that looked carved into the stone. The pillars themselves looked like that of a smooth stone that was cool to the touch, even in the warmer than normal temperatures. The ground though was that of hard bedrock, that slightly kicked up dust as the two men quietly walked.

"What business do you have here?" Baki hadn't stopped nor turned, he continued forward.

"I have some business with the Kazekage dealing with the upcoming Chuunin Exams." Baki snorted and turned a corner and the sounds of someone training was heard nearby.

A woman's voice made a shout of frustration and something large and metallic slammed into the ground. Walking into a new open aired hallway, both men looked down to see what it was. Just below them was a medium sized looking training area. It was rectangular in shape and there seemed no way to enter or leave it at ground level. Below a large plume of smoke was rising in the area as a young man jumped out of it. A large metallic sound of something grating _cling _was heard and the air suddenly rushed the poor boy. The plume disappeared as a young woman appeared, a large fan in her hands. She was breathing heavily as she clutched the oversized object. The boy shouted at her and the blonde haired wielder scowled before raising the fan and swinging it again, a strong gust of wind soon following.

"That's Temari-sama, don't you remember her?"

_So that's Temari…_He did remember the blonde haired girl from Suna. He hadn't seen her in a long while, the last had been just before he had learned of her and Shikamaru's split. He nodded in agreement and Baki continued on.

"You can speak to her later, after your meeting with the Kage."

"Alright, I'll do that."

Baki left again, following the older jounin, the two left and went down another hallway. Down this one there were a few open rooms and inside seemed to be a few meetings taking place, apparently this hallway didn't need doors seeing as the walls could move. Walking up to the end of the hall, Baki opened the only door on the wing and ushered him inside.

* * *

; This was really short, the next chapter will be coming soon and will probably longer than this one. Please Review, it helps out a lot more than you think. 


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